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Colorado School of Mines

A recent partnership between Colorado School of Mines and Caterpillar is providing students with an opportunity to receive hands on leadership training and industry mentorship.

The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) Student Officer team from Colorado School of Mines spent their fall break at the Tinaja Hills Demonstration and Learning Center, in Green Valley, AZ for the Caterpillar Student Leadership Experience Program. Designed specifically for the Colorado School of Mines, activities during the program included discussion on career experiences and lessons and skill-building presentations on leadership styles, organizational climates and effective team building. Sessions were led by some of the top managers and executives in Caterpillars Surface Mining and Technology Division.

“Programs like this are intended to demonstrate our commitment to investing in future leaders within the mining industry whether they choose to work for us or one of our customers someday,” Surface Mining & Technology Lead HR Manager Ben Cordani said. “Colorado School of Mines has been a great partner and we look forward to continued engagement with both their students and faculty.

Students also had the opportunity to tour the Caterpillar Proving Grounds and a chance to operate equipment at the Tinaja Hills training facility.

Kinsley Costner, a junior studying mining engineering enjoyed the opportunity to try their hands at operating backhoes, dozers and loaders at the facility.

“It reinvigorated the passion for why I chose mining,” Costner said. “We also got to see innovations and what’s’ coming up. In a few years, we could be designing mines for autonomy.”

The three day program, which provided students with a unique hands-on opportunity to develop professional and leadership skills, will take place at Tinaja Hills again this spring.

Caterpillar partners with industry, government and academic institutions around the world to leverage world-class expertise and speed up the pace of research and development for the benefit of our customers. For more information please visit Caterpillar.com